New Ukrainian marine drone Stalker 5.0 debuts in Black Sea region
8:26 AM EDT, June 17, 2024
The Stalker 5.0 was showcased at the international security forum in Odessa. This is the latest Ukrainian surface drone, which should soon begin service in the Black Sea region. What are its specifications?
The Russian Black Sea Fleet has suffered significant losses in the past several months. Despite lacking large warships in their arsenal, Ukrainians have managed to destroy and damage many Russian vessels. They use, among other things, cruise missiles like Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG supplied by Western allies, as well as various types of surface drones they mostly produce themselves.
Stalker 5.0 - the new Ukrainian marine drone
Initially, Ukrainian surface drones were makeshift constructions with no particularly advanced capabilities. However, subsequent successful attacks on Russian ships showed that developing such weapons was worth it. As a result, the Ukrainian army now has several threatening and reasonably advanced surface drones, to which the Stalker 5.0 has been added.
Disclosed information reveals that a 60-horsepower engine powers this drone. Thanks to this, the Stalker 5.0 is expected to reach speeds over 40 knots (approx. 45 mph). The new Ukrainian construction measures about 16 feet in length and 4 feet in width.
Ukrainians are developing many marine drones
An important feature of the Stalker 5.0 is its range, which according to the developers, reaches up to 370 miles. The main communication system used here is the Starlink satellite system.
Regarding its purpose, the Stalker 5.0 has been described as a versatile surface drone. It can be used for surveillance, patrolling coastal areas, and combat missions involving destroying enemy equipment.
This surface drone's warhead weighs 330 lbs. The Stalker 5.0 also has additional space in the hull, which can be used for transporting provisions or equipment.
The cost of producing one unit of the Stalker 5.0 is about 60,000 euros. It is not yet known if this amount includes the warhead. Until now, the most advanced Ukrainian marine drone was considered the Magura V5 (Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus). This UAV has similar dimensions and almost identical maximum speed. Other important marine drones in Ukrainian service are the Sea Baby and Mykola-3.
